UC Merced Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology

Title The Cico Chert Source on San Miguel Island, California

Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5z14f4sf

Journal Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology, 19(1)

ISSN 0191-3557

Authors Erlandson, Jon M Kennett, Douglas J. Behl, Richard J et al.

Publication Date 1997-07-01

Peer reviewed

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The Cico Chert Source on San especially important on many of the California Miguel Island, California islands, where native peoples were relatively isolated and had access to a limited variety of JON M. ERLANDSON terrestrial foods and lithic sources. Dept. of Anthropology, Univ. of Oregon, Eugene, OR In the archaeological record, some of the 97403. more important and traceable manufacturing ma­ DOUGLAS J. KENNETT Dept. of Anthropology, Univ. of Califomia, Santa terials are various siliceous rock types used to Barbara, CA 93106. make flaked stone tools. Recenfly, lithic use RICHARD J. BEHL patterns on the Northern Channel Islands have Dept. of Geological Sciences, Califomia State Univ., played a central role in discussions of the de­ Long Beach, CA 90840-3902. velopment of Chumash complexity. As Arnold IAN HOUGH (1987, 1990, 1992) has shown, die use of local­ Dept. of Anthropology, Univ. of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403. ized chert outcrops on Santa Cruz Island was crucial to the specialized and intensive produc­ A major source of high quality chert was tion of microblade drUls used to make shell recently identified on San Miguel Island, beads. According to Arnold (1992:73), on Santa where archaeological sites spanning much of Cruz Island "Late period microblade manufac­ the Holocene contain artifacts of this same material. Some varieties of this translucent turers were legitimate craft specialists, control­ chert are macroscopically similar to Santa ling access to the single chert-source area on the Cruz Island chert, leading to possible confu­ islands and producing large quantities of stan­ sion about the origin of some Channel Island dardized microlidis solely in a small zone on the lithic assemblages. Preliminary petrographic studies suggest that Cico cherts can be differ­ northeastern shore of the island." Until recent­ entiated from Santa Cruz Island cherts micro­ ly, these Santa Cruz Island quarries were scopically, but additional research is needed thought to be the only significant sources of to document the variability inherent in both quality chert available to the island Chumash chert types. Although the Chumash appear to have used Cico chert to make microblade (e.g., Arnold 1987; Rozaire 1993:63). drills and shell beads, the extent of such activ­ During recent work on the Northern Channel ities has yet to be determined. Islands, however, we discovered another source of high-quality chalcedonic chert on San Miguel AT the time of European contact, the Chumash Island (Fig. 1). This chert source is important and their coastal southern California neighbors because: (1) it extends the distribution and were among the most culturally complex of Cali­ availability of quality siliceous toolstone on the fornia societies. This complexity is seen in the Northern Channel Islands; (2) archaeological archaeological and historical records in the form data indicate that it was widely used on San Mi­ of high population densities, hierarchical social guel Island, with the earliest evidence beginning organization, craft specialization, intensive trade, 10,000 or more years ago; (3) it overlaps in ma­ and use of shell bead currencies. A crucial as­ croscopic appearance with Santa Cruz Island pect of reconstructing the development and chert—a source of potential confusion in recon­ structure of socioeconomic complexity lies in structing Chumash trade and resource use pat­ understanding patterns of resource use in various terns; and (4) it appears to have been used to areas and the trade and other interaction patterns manufacture microblade bead drills by Late Peri­ tiiat developed to redistribute materials between od populations on San Miguel Island. various social groups. The exchange of raw ma­ In this report, we summarize the information terials and manufactured goods may have been available about the location and geological con- REPORTS 125

San Miguel Island

^ Sand Spit N

% Arcliaeological Site I * Chert Source

Point Bennettol Adnm's Cove Cardwcll Point

Fig. 1. The locations of Cico chert outcrops on San Miguel Island. text of the Cico chert source, discuss the macro­ numbers of artifacts made from a distinctive scopic and microscopic characteristics of the translucent chert—white, buff, gray, or brown in chert, provide evidence for its widespread and color—on the surface of several sites along the long-term use at sites on San Miguel Island, and northeast coast of the island. A large Middle suggest some potential avenues for further re­ Holocene "red abalone" midden (CA-SMI-161; search. It should be stressed that our studies see Fig. 1) located near the east end of Cuyler have thus far been limited primarily to archaeo­ Harbor, for instance, had numerous large cores logical and geological reconnaissance surveys, and other artifacts of this chalcedonic chert on background research, and preliminary petro­ its surface. Some of the cores superficially re­ graphic analysis of cherts from San Miguel and sembled Santa Cruz Island chert, but were of a Santa Cruz islands. Since a detailed analysis of quality that seemed unlikely to have been im­ such topics could take several years, this initial ported from Santa Cruz Island quarries without report allows the discovery of Cico chert to be further reduction. At other sites on the east end incorporated into rapidly developing models of of San Miguel Island, we continued to find large Santa Barbara Channel prehistory. numbers of artifacts made from this translu­ cent—and often high quality—chert. THE REDISCOVERY OF CICO CHERT Site records from earlier San Miguel Island WhUe working on San Miguel Island from surveys (e.g.. Greenwood 1978; Rozaire 1978) 1992 to 1996, we were surprised to find large contained references to chert cobbles that were 126 JOURNAL OF CALIFORNIA AND GREAT BASIN ANTHROPOLOGY observed on the beach near the east end of Cuy­ the northeast coast of San Miguel Island. Intact ler Harbor. Site records from the lower Willow chert veins are composed of clear to cloudy gray Canyon area in the northeast part of the island quartz cutting through a volcaniclastic conglom­ also had numerous references to cores and debi- erate exposed above Glass Float Beach near the tage of translucent chert. Searching the shore­ east end of the island (Source A, Fig. 1). Here, line east of Cuyler Harbor in 1993, we found no veins of chalcedonic chert two to five cm. thick chert cobbles, but a survey of the northeast coast form a set of parallel, subvertical sheets, trend­ proved more productive. Here, two outcrops of ing roughly east to west. Vein material appears chert were located north and west of Cardwell to be similar in composition to the quartz cement Point, along with cobbles or small boulders binding the volcaniclastic cobbles, and veins found on the beach near the base of Cardwell range from massive to separate distinct and ir­ Point itself (Fig. 1). The most extensive of these regular (botryoidal) layers. Locally, the veins was a talus slope exposed by shoreline erosion include layers rich in pyrite that are gray to below Fish Ridge, where numerous angular cob­ black in appearance, or brecciated fragments of ble or boulder-sized clasts of translucent chert the host rock. Because of their similar appear­ were found eroding from sea cliff exposures. ance and because the composition of the talus One large, angular chert block that was found on suggests that much of the debris was also de­ the beach immediately below this talus slope was rived from the San Miguel volcanics conglomer­ estimated to weigh several hundred kilograms. ate, the talus clasts (Source B, Fig. 1) probably On the ridge immediately above and west of this have a similar origin as the veins. Some of the source, a dense deposit of Cico chert core reduc­ chert talus clasts are much larger than any of the tion debris (CA-SMI-169; see Fig. 1) was noted. exposed veins, however, and are probably de­ This deposit extended for several hundred meters rived from thicker veins now eroded from Fish along the crest of Fish Ridge between about 60 Ridge or buried under accumulating talus. m. and 75 m. above sea level. Like Santa Cruz Island cherts (Arnold 1987: Later in 1993, Don Morris (personal commu­ 97), die quality of Cico chert nodules varies nication, 1993) advised us that a diver had considerably. The materials observed to date brought a block of similar chert to the Santa are primarily massive rather than bedded or Barbara Museum of Natural History. This mate­ banded. Fist-sized or larger clasts of Cico chert rial had reportedly been exposed in a rock ledge often contain small, irregular voids or inclusions submerged off Cardwell Point. Knowing that of oxidized minerals. From most large clasts, this distinctive chert was used by the Chumash however, it is possible to obtain relatively large for mUlennia prior to our own "discovery," we cores or flakes of high-quality chalcedonic chert. christened it Cico chert—an abbreviated version Archaeological occurrences and replicative ex­ of Ciquimmuymu, the Chumash word for San periments show that this material is suitable for Miguel Island, as recorded in the accounts of making a variety of macrolithic and microlithic Cabrillo's voyage of 1542 (King 1975:177). artifact types. Macroscopically, large pieces of Cico chert CICO CHERT: GEOLOGICAL are clearly distinct from classic Monterey and CONTEXT AND CHARACTERISTICS Franciscan cherts of the mainland coast. Our Cico chert is found in veins within the Mio­ studies suggest that small flakes of Cico and cene San Miguel volcanics, in loose cobble to Monterey cherts may occasionally overlap in boulder-sized clasts in Quaternary talus deposits, macroscopic appearance, but this problem ap­ and on certain cobble or boulder beaches along pears to be rare. Cico chert clasts also generally REPORTS 127 differ from Santa Cruz Island cherts, but there is utilization in the Santa Barbara Channel area. much more macroscopic overlap, creating diffi­ So far, significant quantities of Cico chert have culties in the visual differentiation between sam­ been noted in sites distributed over much of the ples of the two island cherts. According to Ar­ eastern end of San Miguel Island, and smaller nold (1987:97), the range of colors of Santa quantities have been observed at sites along Cruz Island cherts includes "white, blonde, light much of the north coast. The San Miguel vol­ brown, dark brown, gray, and occasionally blu­ canics are widely distributed on San Miguel and ish in cast." Cico cherts generally fall within Santa Rosa islands (see Weaver 1969), however, this same range of colors—with translucent and it is conceivable that additional localized whites, grays, and blondes (yellowish brown) sources exist (or existed in the past). Tools most common—but also include occasional red­ made from material macroscopically similar to dish brown and grayish purple specimens. Dis­ Cico chert were recently found at sites on west­ seminated pyrite imparts a dark gray color to ern Santa Rosa Island (D. Morris, personal com­ some layers, which locally turn reddish brown munication 1995). Currendy, it is unclear if with oxidation. Macroscopically, veins are either Cico chert outcrops exist on Santa Rosa Island, homogeneous or composed of several visually or whether Santa Rosa Islanders traveled to San distinct, parallel layers. Open voids lined with Miguel Island to obtain Cico chert, obtained it small macroscopic quartz crystals are present in through trade, or a combination of the two. some samples. That Cico chert played a role in Chumash ex­ Preliminary petrographic studies of Cico and change networks is suggested, however, by the Santa Cruz Island cherts suggest that the micro- recent identification of a large projectile point structure of the two cherts is often distinctive. made from classic Cico chert in an artifact col­ In microscopic thin sections, Cico cherts are lection that was reportedly looted from two composed principally of chalcedony and micro- mainland Chumash village sites (CA-SBA-72 crystalline quartz. Megaquartz is common, es­ and -73) at Tecolote Canyon on the western pecially in the late stages of vein formation. Santa Barbara coast. Aggregated or disseminated cubic pyrite crystals Recent investigations at Daisy Cave (CA- are abundant in some layers, while others con­ SMI-261) provided some important data on tem­ tain none. Trace to minor amounts of carbonate poral patterns of Cico chert use on San Miguel are present in some samples, some of which Island. Located less than two km. from the have been replaced by chalcedony, leaving resid­ source, Daisy Cave contains Cico chert artifacts ual iron oxides. In contrast, Santa Cruz Island in archaeological strata from Unit D6 diat were cherts generally contain microlayered carbonate radiocarbon dated between about 10,600 and (chiefly dolomite) rhombs and framboidal pyrite 3,200 RCYBP (Erlandson et al. 1997; Table 1). crystals. Both island chert sources are charac­ Significant percentages of flaked stone artifacts terized by considerable variability, however, and made from Cico chert are not evident at Daisy more research is required to determine the range Cave, however, until about 6,000 RCYBP. The of potential overlap (both macroscopic and mi­ apparent increase in the intensity of Cico chert croscopic) between the two. use during the Middle and Late Holocene sug­ gests that the source may have been less accessi­ SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL ble during the Early Holocene. It is possible, DISTRIBUTIONS OF CICO CHERT for instance, that rising sea levels, coastal ero­ More research is also needed to document the sion, shifting sand dunes, or other geological spatial and temporal dimensions of Cico chert processes exposed significant quantities of Cico 128 JOURNAL OF CALIFORNIA AND GREAT BASIN ANTHROPOLOGY

Table 1 PERCENTAGES OF LITHIC RAW MATERIAL TYPES IN UNIT D6 AT DAISY CAVE (CA-SMI-261) Material Type (by %) Stratum Age (RCYBP)' Number CC MC SS MV Other A 3,200 11 9.1 9.1 18.2 45.5 18.2 C 6,000 30 23.3 30.0 30.0 16.7 0.0 El 7,800 98 0.0 44.9 52.0 2.0 1.0 E2 7,900 169 1.2 65.1 24.9 7.1 1.8 E3 8,000 244 2.5 57.8 32.0 2.9 4.9 Fl 8,600 404 2.5 66,3 29.5 1.2 0.5 F2 8,800 967 2.5 67.3 27.7 2.1 0.4 G 10,300 34 2.9 26.5 52,9 17.6 0.0

Age estimates for individual strata, in uncorrected radiocarbon years, are based on a suite of 25 dates on marine shell and charcoal (Erlandson et al. 1997). For lithic raw material types: CC = Cico chert; MC = Monterey chert; SS = siliceous shale; MV = metavolcanic. chert only after that time. Well-stratified sam­ cause such materials preserve well in the archae­ ples are currently not available from Daisy Cave ological record and were widely used by native deposits younger dian about 3,200 RCYBP. Ro­ peoples, they are one of the best sources of in­ zaire (1993:71-72) recovered a beadmaker's formation about patterns of resource exploitation cache in Middle or Late period deposits at Daisy and exchange, and how such patterns may have Cave, however, which contained 50 chert micro- changed through time. As our models of re­ blades or microdrills. The source of these chert source use, manufacturing processes, exchange, artifacts has not been determined, but petro­ and socioeconomic complexity become increas­ graphic examination of a triangular microdrill ingly sophisticated, it becomes ever more impor­ from a Late Period village site (CA-SMI-163; tant that we have detailed baseline information see Fig. 1) located east of Cuyler Harbor indi­ on the spafial distribufion of raw material cated that it was made from chert microscopical­ sources. Without such data, we cannot hope to ly indistinguishable from in situ veins of Cico understand the full complexity of societal rela­ chert. This suggests that Chumash use of Cico tionships among the Chumash and their neigh­ chert probably continued up to the time of Euro­ bors. pean contact and that Cico chert played some Although data from Daisy Cave suggest that role in the microblade and beadmaking industries Cico chert was used by San Miguel Islanders for of the Northern Channel Islands. roughly 10,000 years, cherts and sUiceous shales from the Monterey Formation dominate the CONCLUSIONS flaked stone assemblage throughout the site se­ As the discovery of a major new chert source quence. This suggests that a local source of on San Miguel Island clearly demonstrates, we these materials may also be present on San Mi­ still have only a limited understanding of the guel Island or western Santa Rosa Island. In primary and secondary distributions of many fact, we have found small pebbles of classic cherts and other minerals used by Nafive Ameri­ black and dark brown Monterey cherts in raised cans along the southern California coast. Be­ beach deposits on San Miguel Island, and larger REPORTS 129 nodules of low-quality, banded Monterey cherts translucent chert microblades from the Northern have been found on western Santa Rosa Island. Channel Islands all come from Santa Cruz Island More research is needed to document the spatial sources. Further petrographic analysis of Cico distribution of lithic raw material sources on the and Santa Cruz Island cherts is needed to deter­ Northern Channel Islands, the larger Santa Bar­ mine the full range of variability found within bara Channel, and adjacent areas of the southern and between the two sources. Once cherts from California coast. different island sources have been characterized While Cico chert seems to have played some petrographically, collections from the Northern role in the microblade and shell bead industries Channel Islands can be analyzed to determine if of the Island Chumash, its importance is not yet Cico chert played a significant role in the micro- clear. While microblades have been found in a blade and shell bead industries of the Island number of Late Holocene archaeological sites on Chumash. San Miguel Island (see Glassow 1982; Green­ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS wood 1982; Walker and Snedikamp 1984; Ro­ zaire 1993; Erlandson et al. 1997), it is not We are indebted to Channel Islands National Park currently known if any of these were made from for logistical and financial support, to Don Morris for sharing his knowledge of Chaimel Islands archaeol­ Cico chert. Furthermore, although there has ogy, and to Jeaime Arnold for discussing Chumash been no systematic search, we have yet to find chert use on the Northem Channel Islands. John evidence on San Miguel Island for microblade Johnson and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural production even remotely comparable to that History kindly provided access to a nodule of Cico chert collected by a diver off Cardwell Point, as well documented by Arnold (1987, 1990) on Santa as microblade collections from Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz Island. Rosa islands. D. Kennett drafted Figure 1. Jeanne During the Middle and Late periods of Santa Arnold, Mark Raab, Mike Glassow, and two anony­ mous reviewers read a draft of this paper, providing Barbara Channel prehistory, the Santa Cruz Is­ constructive comments that significantly improved the land microblade industry was one component in manuscript. Finally, thanks to Mark Q. Sutton and a complex economy involving trade between the the editorial staff of the Journal for help in the peoples of the Channel Islands, the adjacent editing and production of this paper. mainland, and beyond (King 1976). In her pro­ REFERENCES vocative and meticulous research, Arnold (1987, 1990, 1992) has linked die localized nattire of Arnold, Jeanne E. 1987 Craft Specialization in the Prehistoric chert sources on eastern Santa Cruz Island to Chaimel Islands, Califomia. Berkeley: elite control of this limited resource, the de­ University of Califomia Publications in velopment of craft specialization, and the ap­ Anthropology, Vol. 18. pearance of Chumash chiefdoms during the Mid­ 1990 Lithic Resource Control and Economic dle to Late period transition. If evidence is Change in the Santa Barbara Channel Re­ gion. Joumal of Califomia and Great Ba­ found that Cico chert played a significant role in sin Anthropology 12(2): 158-172. 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